Beneath His Cold Charm

19

Unexpected Kindness

★★★

Zoey stared at the pile of books and notes sprawled out in front of her in the library, trying to make sense of the endless formulas and facts for the upcoming exams. The pressure was unrelenting, her father's voice echoing in her head every time she tried to focus. No distractions. Top marks. Or else.

The heavy atmosphere from home lingered around her like a dark cloud, and even though she had started to open up to Nick about her family struggles, the burden didn't feel any lighter. The constant pressure to be perfect was gnawing at her insides, but she couldn't afford to fall apart now.

She needed to stay strong, needed to prove that she could handle everything, even if every part of her felt like breaking. She gripped her pen tighter, forcing herself to concentrate. But the panic, the overwhelming feeling of not being able to meet everyone's expectations, was creeping in.

As her mind spun with anxiety, she didn't hear Matt approach. His presence was always so quiet—his brooding demeanor made him like a shadow that lurked in the background, unnoticed until it was too late.

"Williams," his cold voice cut through the silence.

Zoey flinched, immediately recognizing the sharpness in his tone. She had hoped to avoid him today, or at least, not deal with his usual arrogance. Her eyes lifted from the pages in front of her to see Matt standing by her table, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

"Yeah?" Zoey asked, her voice low, trying to suppress the irritation that always bubbled up around him.

Matt didn't answer right away, his gaze flickering over the mess of notes and textbooks. "You've been here all day."

Zoey raised an eyebrow, taken aback. It wasn't like Matt to notice—or care—what she was doing. "Yeah, so?"

He stepped closer, sliding into the seat across from her. His movements were slow, deliberate, as if he were analyzing every detail of her. Zoey shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, unsure what his angle was this time.

"Your hands are shaking," Matt observed flatly, leaning back in his chair.

Zoey immediately tucked her hands under the table, embarrassed by the fact that he had noticed. Her heart raced. She didn't want to show any weakness in front of him. "I'm fine. Just... studying."

His eyes narrowed. "You don't look fine."

Zoey opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, the weight of the moment hit her. The pressure from her dad, the fear of failing, the strain of keeping everything bottled up—it was all becoming too much. She suddenly felt overwhelmed, her hands trembling even more, her breath quickening.

Matt must have noticed the shift in her demeanor because, for once, his expression softened, if only slightly. He shifted his chair closer to hers, his presence suddenly less cold. Zoey blinked, confused by the change in him.

"I'm serious, Zoey. You look like you're about to pass out," Matt muttered, his voice quieter now, less hostile. "When was the last time you ate something?"

Zoey blinked, startled by the concern in his voice. Since when did he care? She opened her mouth to respond, but realized she couldn't remember. Between the stress of studying and the constant anxiety over her father, eating had fallen low on her list of priorities.

"I'm fine," she lied again, more out of habit than anything. "I'm just... busy."

Matt didn't buy it. He sighed, standing up abruptly and walking towards the library exit without another word. Zoey watched him leave, her stomach twisting in confusion. What was that about?

A few minutes later, Matt returned, holding something in his hand. Without a word, he placed a sandwich and a bottle of water on the table in front of her. Zoey stared at the food in disbelief, completely caught off guard. This was not the Matt she knew.

"What's this?" she asked, her voice softer, unsure of how to react.

Matt shrugged, his usual aloofness returning. "You're not going to pass those exams if you're starving. Just eat."

Zoey hesitated, glancing between him and the sandwich. "Why are you being... nice?"

Matt raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Nice?, Williams. I'm just making sure you don't pass out before the exam."

Zoey let out a short laugh, though the confusion lingered. It didn't make sense. Matt had been nothing but cold, sarcastic, and distant since the moment they met. Yet here he was, offering her food, showing concern. It didn't fit the image she had of him in her mind.

"I don't get you," she said quietly, finally picking up the sandwich. "One minute, you're acting like you can't stand me, and the next... this."

Matt leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. His expression was guarded, but something flickered in his eyes—something that Zoey couldn't quite read.

"As I said you don't know me as well as you think you do," he replied, his voice cryptic.

Zoey took a bite of the sandwich, her stomach growling in appreciation. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until now. She glanced at Matt again, still trying to make sense of him.

"Why are you so confusing?" she asked, half to herself, half to him.

Matt's lips twitched into a faint smirk. "Keeps things interesting."

For a few moments, they sat in silence, the tension between them less heavy than usual. Zoey couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Matt than he let on—that beneath his cold exterior, there was something else. Something she hadn't seen before.

But just as quickly as the moment of softness appeared, it disappeared. Matt stood up, his usual aloofness returning.

"Don't overthink it, Williams," he said, his voice back to its sharp tone. "I just don't want to deal with you passing out during the exam. That's all."

Zoey watched as he walked away, her mind spinning. His words might have been dismissive, but his actions told a different story. She couldn't help but wonder what was really going on with him. There was more to Matt Struniolo than met the eye, and it was starting to confuse her in ways she hadn't expected.

---

Later that evening, Zoey found herself replaying the interaction with Matt over and over in her mind. Every time she thought she had him figured out, he would do something to throw her off balance. His act of kindness, no matter how small, had shaken her in a way she hadn't anticipated. She hated that it made her feel something, that it made her question everything she thought she knew about him.

But there was no denying it—Matt Struniolo was not as tuff as he wanted the world to believe. And Zoey was starting to see the cracks in his armor, even if he didn't want her to.

★★★